


Now that we See The Other Side

by Books_With_Wings



Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: Colors, Colors au soulmate, F/M, Soulmate AU, The Greatest Showman, anne and Phillip, carwheel, colours soulmate au, philip/anne, phillip Carlyle and Anne wheeler
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2019-03-31 01:29:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13964430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Books_With_Wings/pseuds/Books_With_Wings
Summary: Philip Carlyle has lived his whole life seeing two, distinct and different colours.Black and white. Black and white.Soft cream, baby blue, hot pink. All just words. That is, until Phillip decides a certain circus was worth working for. Philip’s world may just explode.





	1. When colours come to play

**Author's Note:**

> This is my very first work here, so I hope you enjoy it!

“I wasn't born this morning, eighteen would be just fine,” He negotiated, walking toward the man with a challenge in his eyes.  
“Why not just go ahead and ask for nickels on the dime?” He remarked, standing a little taller.  
“Fifteen?” A suggestion.  
“I'd do eight,” Barnum had said.  
“Twelve.” He pushed. This man was dancing on his last damned nerve and Phillip was going to get his way.  
“Maybe nine!” He offered.

“Ten!”

Ten percent. It was a done deal for him, and it completely made sense, but Phillip could not help but wonder what he was in for.  
-  
He smirked at the man ahead of him before graciously taking his hand and giving it a firm shake. Admittedly, he had consumed one too many beers, but at the end of the day the option to quit was always there if need be.

‘This is a great idea.’ He reassured himself, flattening the crinkles in his suit as he followed the older man out of the bar. He’d been told by his mother that he was wearing a white shirt and black pants.

Of course, he would have to take her word for it, and was glad he didn’t have to wonder and imagine what it looked like if it was say, a lighter shade of blue or purple.

His mother saw colour. His father didn’t, but of course it did not matter to him truly. Sometimes, there were exceptions to the rule- if colour had not entered your life by romantic love, any other type of strong love could bring it in. That was only in special cases, such as a soulmate dying.

For his mother, Phillip’s birth had brought about colour. It had made her smile grow large when he’d ask her to describe the colour of his room or clothes.

Her favourite was the description of his eyes. “Your eyes possess the power to put out any flame within me, you know. As a child, you would use it to your advantage. You’d feed me your beautiful arguments, all the while flaunting your blue orbs. I notice how your eyes swirl uncontrollably when angry, gushing to a deep, mysterious blue, but when you are happy, I find that they dance and move about as water does- independent and gorgeous in their own right.”

She used to play with his hair, twirling the coloured strands with the tips of her fingers. If he could remember correctly, she’d said that his hair was a beautiful brown, and matched his grandfather in his younger years.

His father had warned her to stop putting such idiotic fantasies into his head. In his eyes, whether he saw colour or not did not matter. “You will be betrothed to a rich woman soon enough, Phillip. It is time to put a stop to your fantasies, your plays and most certainly this nonsense talk of your soulmate.” He had commanded. “You do not have to see colour to bring wealth to our family name.”

At the time, his heart had shattered. How his father could not bring himself to care for his only child, he did not know. However, time had brought about a difference, as now, Phillip simply did not care. It was what it was and it could not be changed. 

The doors ahead of him swung open and Phillip was left to wonder what, other than the alcohol, has possessed his to take such a deal from a man he wasn’t truly sure was all... There, there.

The risk thrilled him.  
“This is Lettie, one of our talented performers.” Barnum introduced, a grin spread on his face that would put the Cheshire cat’s to shame. The woman he was referring to was a short young woman with a bushy beard.

As she beamed up at him with a kind smile, Phillip decided he rather liked the woman. “Phillip Carlyle, Ma’am, at your service.” He politely held out his hand, smiling at the woman.

“Pleasure’s all mine, Handsome.” She replied as she took his hand and turned to the left.

As she disappeared behind the curtain, Phillip wondered if she would be the most normal thing he’d encounter here, at the circus.

“You must look at our acrobats, they are simply amazing and talented at trapeze!” Barnum gushed. “Anne and W.D Wheeler!” He informed him, before pulling back a curtain.

The beautiful young woman with wide eyes and a grin swung in his direction and her eyes connected with his.

Brown. Pink. Green. Warmth.  
Her eyes widened a little more, looking as shocked as he probably did. Their moment slowed down and Phillip forgot how to breathe.

Then, she swung back.  
“Who was that?” He gasped. Phillip felt alone after the experience, and so he gawked silently as he turned to Barnum, who had a small but satisfied grin plastered on his face.

Silence stung him and he could only comprehend one thing-  
Phillip Carlyle’s world exploded within minutes.


	2. Everybody’s got an act

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I’m back with another update, please tell me what you think!

Phillip was still regaining his breath as Barnum led him down some stairs. The surroundings he had only just walked through were bright and magnificent and suddenly he'd felt that even if he had walked this way mere minutes ago, it was a completely new place altogether.

He gazed around at the curtains and walls, of which were different shades that did not consist of black or white. “Wow,” Phillip gaped. He was walking backwards and stumbled several times as his eyes adjusted to the new sights. It was wonderful and fascinating.

“Yeah, Yeah, kid. You’ll thank me later.” Barnum muttered under his breath. Phillip’s brow rose in confusion but before he could protest and ask why he’d voice his gratitude, his collar was given a forceful shove so that he turned around.

“W.D, Anne! I want to introduce my newest hire, Phillip Carlyle.” Barnum introduced as they reached the acrobats. Phillip’s heart beat louder and he could not help but feel as if everyone in the room could hear its violent pounding.  
W.D outstretched his hand in greeting, and without a second thought Phillip took it.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He smiled politely. Phillip nodded and his eyes burned slightly as he tried not to look to his right.

Phillip’s heart would not rest as the colours around him buzzed a little brighter.   
Not able to resist the urge any longer, Phillip glanced at the woman beside her brother.

She was astounding and beautiful and graceful and ethereal all at once. He did not dare speak, so, instead, she did.  
“What is your act, Mr. Carlyle?” She questioned, looking him up and down. Phillip felt a shiver go down his spine and suddenly felt as if she was the only person in the world that could make his heart flutter as she was doing at that very moment. In a glance had fallen for her wholly and fully and there was no doubt about it.

“I don’t have…An act.” He stammered out as his eyes widened slightly.  
She smirked knowingly. “Everyone’s got an act,” She stated as she brushed her shoulder against him slightly. He felt her eyes linger for a moment before she took off, strutting toward the doorway, a picture of grace and wonder.

He could not breathe. He could not think. He only saw a beautiful pair of chocolatey brown eyes.   
W.D stood a little taller beside him and Phillip had to look up to catch his stony glare.

The man knew he was doomed.   
*•*•*  
The boiling liquid burned and stung his palms as he launched it toward his face and rubbed it in.

It would be a lie to say Phillip hadn’t wondered how their love could possibly ever work- She was black, for God’s sake! Admittedly, the only people who would care of her skin colour were her parents and society.

Phillip was not sure whether he could take another disappointed glance thrown at him from his mother. God, he wanted to do anything but hurt her.

A slight glance at the world around him brought his brain back to Earth; there ass a reason Anne and he were chosen for one another. There was a reason he could not seem to think with her around.

It was with these thoughts that Phillip left the bathroom, full of optimism and adoration. For the girl in the pink wig.

*•*•*

Phillip had done everything he could to make Barnum’s business thrive. After all, his love would benefit from that.

“Do you have any thoughts on this?” P.T questioned as Phillip strode into the room, head held high.

“Phillip!” Helen’s voice rang out as she ran to him dramatically. “Helen, Come on.” Her parent scolded.

Ignoring the scolding, Helen proceeded to play around with Phillip as he had picked her up, almost as Joy-filled as her.

“As a matter of fact, I do.” He declared, handing a sheet of paper. His smug smile spread across his face as the elder man proceeded to read out the text.

“The master of the Household has it in the command of the Queen...To invite Mr. Phineas Barnum and his theatrical troop to a reception at Buckingham Palace." With every word Barnum’s shock became more and more evident.

“THE Queen Victoria? Is this real?” Charity exclaimed, astounded. Phillip nodded slightly with a smile for confirmation.

“I had to pull a few strings.  
If you want society to accept you, you may as well start at the very, very top.” He beamed down at Helen with each word playfully.

The cast of the show rejoiced loudly, except for a few.

“Are we all invited?” A voice he had grown to love for the past few days piped up and he swerved around to see the dismayed face of his girl. This silenced the cheers.

“I guess I'll just have to tell  
the queen either all of us go  
or none of us will.” He told her.

Her smile was wide across her face and Phillip was proud he was the one to place it there.

“The Queen Of England!” Someone said.  
“Can’t get much better than that!” 


End file.
